Short Summary

BISHOP IAKOVOS, OF ATTICA AND MEGARIS, WAS ELECTED ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS AND GREECE AT A SECRET CONCLAVE AT ATHENS CATHEDRAL, ON JAN 13.

Description

BISHOP IAKOVOS, OF ATTICA AND MEGARIS, WAS ELECTED ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS AND GREECE AT A SECRET CONCLAVE AT ATHENS CATHEDRAL, ON JAN 13.THE ELECTION, TO APPOINT A SUCCESSOR TO ARCHBISHOP THEOKLITOS, WHO DIED ON JAN 8, LASTED NEARLY SIX HOURS.

ELECTED BY 33 VOTES, THE NEW PRIMATE, WHO IS 67, HAS HELD THE DIOCESES OF ATTICA SINCE 1936.HIS MAIN OPPONENT, THE BISHOP OF CAVALLA, PRESIDED AT THE PAN-ORTHODOX CONFERENCE AT RHODES, LAST SEPTEMBER.

THE ELECTION OF ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS WAS OPPOSED BY THE GREEK PRESS AND BY SOME RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS.DESPITE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS OUTSIDE THE CATHEDRAL TO AVOID INCIDENTS, A FEW STUDENTS IN THE CROWD SHOUTED "UNWORTHY, UNWORTHY," WHEN THE RESULT WAS MADE KNOWN.THEY WERE REMOVED BY POLICE.

FOR THE ELECTION, 58 BISHOPS GATHERED FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.AS THE CANDIDATES BEGAN ARRIVING AT THE CATHEDRAL, THEY WERE ADMITTED BY POLICE, WHO KEPT THE DOORS OF THE CHURCH LOCKED UNTIL THE RINGING BELLS PROCLAIMED THAT A NEW ARCHBISHOP HAD BEEN CHOSEN.

THEN THE DOORS OF THE CATHEDRAL WERE OPENED, AND THE NAME OF THE NEW ARCHBISHOP WAS ANNOUNCED TO THE CROWD OF MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE.HUNDREDS OF PRIESTS AND POLICE SURROUNDED THE NEWLY ELECTED ARCHBISHOP AS HE LEFT THE CATHEDRAL TO GO TO THE ARCHBISHOPRIC.